The Unofficial Blogger of the Chicago Cubs in Canada

The Cubs Hit Peak Over Rockies, Bon Voyage Bonifacio

Why is it that the excitement always mounts on the trade deadline? Sometimes, it’s way better than a playoff race, Opening Day, or the playoffs(sometimes)

Why? Hope Springs Eternal.

Take for instance yesterday’s victory over the Rockies. Jake Arrieta. His tenth quality start. The Cubs didn’t exactly cruise to the win, but it was steady and convincing. The Cubs’ll take it.

Yesterday was bittersweet. What started the season with a kind of a back door grab by signing veteran Emilio Bonifacio turned into a smooth deal that landed Bonifacio in Atlanta with Jimmy Russell for catching prospect Victor Caratini. How will this move play out? Only time will tell.

“It’s hard to wrap your head around it,” Russell said. “It’s obviously a shock. There’s nothing that can kind of prepare yourself for this. It’s still kind of weird. I don’t know how to feel; there’s a lot of excitement, mixed emotions. It’s going to be a good thing.”

Absolutely it’s shocking. The Cubs are finally a team that players would really like to play for. They’re turning into the next Oakland Athletics. I liked Bonifacio. He’s an amazing talent who can work just about every position on the team. He’s not quite the pitcher that Johnny Baker is but I hated to see him go.

But—

I believe it’s the right thing for both clubs. Both players might get a shot at the post season with Atlanta and the Cubs are getting another stud in their ever growing stable of champions. That’s going to bode well in the future.

But—

Pretty soon, oh heck, I’ll say within two weeks, we’re going to see the fresh face of Javier Baez at second base.

“The way the organization has been going and acquiring players and drafting and developing kids in the system, I would hope it comes to the point where it shifts in a different direction,” manager Rick Renteria said. “All of us are hopeful that will be the case in the near future. That’s been the hope and desire of the organization to get to a point like that. Things happen over the course of seasons and things change. Right now, we’re hopefully moving in the right direction.”